Mop wringer



March 27, 1934.

s. SCHULMAN 1,952,824

MOP WRINGER Filed June 22, 1931 ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 27, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 19 Claims.

- My invention relates to mop wringers of the general type in which a drain cup is mounted within a pail, and used in connection therewith and with a mop, for removing excess water from the mop,

More particularly stated, my invention comprehends a mop wringer of the general type just mentioned, in which I provide an improved supporting bar, connected with the draincup, and

used for detachably and securely connecting the drain cup with a pail, against relative movement thereof and independently of the bail-holding ears of the pail.

My invention contemplates the provision of an improved drain cup so constructed that excess water is more effectively removed from the mop.

My invention further contemplates the provision of means, pivoted to the supporting bar and cooperating therewith and with the pail to lock the supporting bar and the drain cup securely in its operative position and also contemplates the provision of simple and convenient means for supporting the mop handle. My invention further contemplates the provision of a number of improvements over my prior Patents Nos. 1,652,800, dated December 13th, 1927, and 1,725,213, dated August 20th, 1929.

Reference is made to the drawing forming a part of this specification, and in which like reference characters indicate like parts throughout all of the figures.

The various objects of my invention will be clear from.the description which follows and from the drawing, in which Figure 1 is a substantially central vertical section and partial elevation of my improved mop wringer.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same, partly broken away.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the device shown in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an enlarged vertical section of part of the pail and of the drain cup, taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3, showing the spring catch for detachably holding the cup to the pail at a given point.

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation similar to Figure 1, showing the auxiliary means for locking the supporting bar in place to the pail, and

Figure 6 is a horizontal section of the drain cup, taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 1.

In that practical embodiment of my invention which I have illustrated by way of example, the pail 7 is made preferably of galvanized sheet stee and is provided with an annular bead 8 serving as a rim, these parts being of the usual or of any desired construction.

My improved drain cup is indicated by the numeral 9 and is made preferably of sheet material, being provided with a series of drain holes 10 in the bottom thereof and a second series of drain holes or perforations 11 in the preferably conical wall thereof, said holes being of the proper shape to facilitate the discharge of excess water from the mop to be wrung. The drain cup 9 is provided with a rim 12 of annular form, said rim being smooth and rounded and provided with an annular depending flange 13 and with a second annular flange 14 of less diameter than the flange 13. Said flanges 13 and 14 are joined by a suitable shoulder 15, suitably rounded as at 16 at the point where it joins the upper part of the flange 14. The rounded corner 16 is adapted to rest upon the innerpart of the rim 8 of the pail at one place as at 19, and to rest upon a suitably shaped portion 17 of the supporting bar 18 along a diametrically opposite place.

I prefer to indent the arcuate portion 17 of the supporting bar as at 20 and to similarly indent the flange 13 of the drain cup as at 21. The indent 20 fits into the indent 21 and aids to securethe drain cup to the supporting bar. The indent 20 further serves as a support for the handle of the mop which may rest therein when the cup is not in use. 7

To insure the proper position of the drain cup upon the pail, and to resist lifting and rotational movement. of said drain cup relatively to the pail, I prefer to provide a spring catch as 22 secured to the flange 13 by any suitable means such as the rivet 23. Said spring catch 22 terminates at its lower end in a bent spring portion 24 adapted and designed to snap past the rim 8 of the pail, to engage the outer part of said rim and to resist lifting movement of the drain cup as well as to resist rotary movement thereof.

The wall of the drain cup is further provided with a series of preferably imperforate, comparatively narrow and elongated projections 25 extending inwardly of the wall and substantially V-shaped in horizontal section. Said projections are limited by preferably curved peripheral edges as 26 at the intersection of said projections with the remainder of the wall of the cup.

It will be understood that as the mop is wrung, to remove excess water therefrom by rotating the m p Within the drain cup under pressure, the

projections 25 offer obstructions to the rotation of the mop, thereby exerting more pressure on the mop than would be possible were the wall of the cup smooth. A substantially better wringing effect on the mop is thereby attainable.

The drain cup 9 is removably supported upon the pail, as has been previously indicated, by the supporting bar 18, said bar and said cup being removable from, and attachable to, the pail as a unit. Toward this end, the arcuateiportion 17 of the supporting bar is secured to the flange 14 by suitable fastening means such as the eyelets 27, (Fig. 5), preferably though not necessarily, symmetrically spaced about the indent 20. It will be understood, however, that in placed the eyelets, I may use suitable bolts-or screwsas 50, whereby the drain cup is removably secured to the bar 18, and so that .these parts .may .be separated for ease in shipping, packing ,andassembly, if desired.

At each end of the supporting ibar, Ipreferto provide ,a series of spaced, suitably shaped notches 28, 29, each adaptedtoreceiverthe.rim ,8 of apail-andin the form substantially of .a hook. That is, each of :said notches comprises .a .circular outer portion 30, an inclined inner edge '31 extending inwardly and downwardly to the bottom edgeof the supporting .bar and .asubstantially vertical edge 32 connecting .the .lowermost :endof the: circular portion 30 to the .bottomcdge of the bar. -By providing .aseries .of such notches 28, .29, it will be understood that thebar and thedrain cup .carriedthereby may be .readily attached independently .of the .bail supporting ears of the pail Ito pails having .rims differing not only in outer-diameters butdiffering also in cross-sectional diameters.

Pivoted near each end to the supporting .bar as ;by means of .a suitable rivet .33., .and .-at a point between the arcuate ,portion 17 and the inner :notch :29 ;is the pivoted looking .member 34. Said lockingmemberis preferably LU-shaped in cross-section, ,having .a .top '51 and depending parallel sides 52 and 53, each arranged on one side :of the .bar .18, .and each provided .with a seriesrof .substantially rectangular .notches or reoesses 3.5, 36 space d:apart a.distanc.e.corresponding to that :between the notches 328, 29 of the supporting bar. Each .of the notches or recesses 35, 36, however, includes substantially parallel sides 37, ,38 which may, if ,desired,.b,e .in the form of circular arcs having as ,acenter, the center of the rivet 33. The walls.3.'7,, .38 .of the :notch 35 ,arejoinedby the edge.39, .the depth .of .said notch being somewhat greater than the diameter -of the header .rim .8 of the pail.

It will be seen, asiillustratediin Figs. 1 .and.5, that the supporting .bar.and the drain -.cup .are movedin place .by slipping the cup into .thepail, snapping the spring catch 22 .over the .rim, and arranging the supporting .bar so that the rim enters one of .the notches $28 .or 29, the locking member 34 at this time .being .in the .open position indicatedby .the dotted .lines of Figs. 1 and 5. .Saidilocking memberisnowswungjina clockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 5, about its pivot .33.. .Thelinner wall138 of each of the notches 35.orj3.6 of the depending s'ides52 and '53 thereby engages the inner surface of "the ,pail, on each side of the -.bar'.18, .andforces the rim together with the adjacent .part of the wall .of the pail toward the curved edge 30 of the notch in the bar and thereby .locks said ,rim in place.

sshouldthe rim be oomparativelylargeincrosssectional diameter, .theoutenpart of the .rim may :of the spaced sides of the locking member.

be forced into engagement with the curved edge 30 of the bar notch. However, regardless of the diameter of the rim, the vertical edge 32 of the notch engages the outer surface of the pail and tends to force the pail portion which it engages in between the walls 38 of the adjacent notches in the depending sides 52 and 53 of the locking member. It will be seen, therefore, that the lockingaction is independent of the size of the pail rim, and that the edge 32 acts as a pressure member to clamp, or even to slightly bend the pail wall against and between the notch walls 33 The member 34 is manipulated by the finger piece 44.

The operation is repeated with the looking member.3.4.at the other end of the supporting bar. It will'be understood that the rim of the pail "has sufficient .resiliency to be moved inwardly by the edge 32 or outwardly by the walls 38 the required distance to accomplish the look- ,ing operation ,just described.

.Secured to the supporting :bar, as by means -.of theeyelet 2 7,.or the bolt orscrew50, is-a suitable holder 40 .for the mop handle. .The ends 41 of said holder is bent first inwardly and thenoutwardly relatively to thearcuate portion 17, so thatthespace 42 therebetweenis somewhat less than the diameter vof the handle .l43;of the mop. Said end 41. has sufficient resiliencyto spring back into .its initial position after it hasbeenmoved therefrom. The mop is therefore retained in place. merely byiforcing thehandlepastthe spring end 41 and into the space 42, and maybe .easily removed=fromsaid space when it isdesired to use themop. 1

Similarly, the .drain cup and the supporting bar may .be readily removed from the .pail .by merely swinginglthelocking members34 .into unlocking positionvandthen lifting thezsupporting bar. and the drain. cup .off the pail.

It-will beseenthatl have-providedsimple and effective meansfor detachably supportinga drain cup .upon apail and..for locking-thedrain cup in position thereon againstpossibilityhf .rotation or other .undesirable .movement, that .I have provided an improved draincup effective to wring the mop more thoroughly,.andthat.my invention is .well adapted to meet thesevere requirements of practical use.

.I .do .not'limit .myself to the precise structure shown as variations may be made without departing from .my invention, thescope of which is commensurate with my claims.

Having thus described .my invention, what I claim as.new,.and.desire to. secure by'Letters Patcut, .is as .follows:

1. In a mop wringer, a pail, a drain cup adapted to bemounted within thepail, a supporting bar connected to said drain cup and provided with notchesnear itsvendsfordetaohably engaging the rim of said pail, and a recessed member pivoted tothe supporting barandadapted to be swung-to bring the .inner wall .ofa recess thereof into-engagement with the inner surface of the pail to force the rim of the pail toward the outermost wall of the notch in the supporting bar.

.2. .Ina. mop wringena-draincup, .andmeans for securing said cup .toapail comprising a support ing'bar connected to the drain cup and having a hook notch provided with a rounded outer portionnearione end thereof and a locking member pivoted to the supporting bar inwardly of the hook .notchandprovided with a recess extending upwardly from the 'loweredge thereof, the inner wall of the ,recessbeing adapted to engage the bar for the cup, and a member carried by the bar inner surface of a pail to force the rim of the pail outwardly and into the rounded portion of the hook notch of the supporting bar.

3. In a mop wringer, a drain cup, a supporting bar having a hook notch near one end thereof connected to the drain cup, and a locking member pivoted to the bar and adapted to engage the rim of a pail for forcing said rim toward the outermost portion of the hook notch.

4. A mop wringer comprising a pail provided with a rim, a drain cup, a spring catch on said cup adapted to snap about said rim, means spaced from the catch and connected to the cup for engaging the rim to support the cup, and pivoted means for cooperating with the supporting means to lock said supporting means detachably to the rim.

5. In a mop wringer, a drain cup, a supporting bar, means for connecting the cup to the bar, and a locking member pivoted to the bar having a part to engage the inner surface of a pail adapted to force the rim of the pail outwardly into forced operative engagement with the bar.

6. In a mop wringer, a drain cup, a supporting and having a spring end spaced from the bar and adapted to removably retain a mop handle.

'7. In a mop wringer, a drain cup, a supporting bar for the cup, and a holding member terminating at one end in a laterally bent portion spaced from the bar and adapted to removably maintain a mop handle therebetween, the other end of said holding member being secured to the bar.

8. In a mop wringer, a pail, a drain cup, a supporting bar for the cup provided with notches adapted to receive the rim of the pail, and a looking member having spaced depending sides, each having a recess therein and connected to the bar,

'the inner walls of the recesses being arranged and adapted to engage the inner wall of the pail and to clamp the bar and said member to the pail with said inner wall of the pail therebetween.

9. In a mop wringer, a cup, supporting means for the cup, adapted to engage a pail, and means for locking the supporting means against movement relatively to the pail comprising a recessed locking member adapted to compress a portion of the pail between said member and said supporting means.

10. In a mop wringer, a pail, a drain cup posi tioned within the open upper end of the pail engaging one of the side walls of the pail and sup ported thereon at one point, a supporting member carried by the cup and engaging the pail at spaced other points, and locking means carried by said mentioned supporting means, said locking means having a part to engage and press a portion of the pail into locked position between said part and an opposing part of the supporting member.

11. The combination with a pail having a rim portion, of a perforated drain cup form positioned within said pail, said drain cup being of general conical form having its upper open end portion shaped to provide two annular band-like parts one positioned above the other, the lower band part being of relatively less diameter than the upper band part and there being a horizontally disposed part of the cup integrally connecting said two band parts and constituting an annular shoulder upon the cup the under-surface 0f which at one point is adapted to rest squarely upon the upper surface of the rim of the pail with the outer surface of the lower band part engaging against the inner surface of the pail, a spring catch secured to the outer surface of the upper band part of said cup and depending therefrom downwardly below said shoulder adapted to engage the rim of the pail, and means connected with the cup for detachably connecting the cup with the pail at other points.

12. In a mop wringer, a drain cup provided with an upper flange part and with a downwardly facing shoulder beneath said flange part adapted to rest upon the upper edge of a pail, a spring catch secured to said flange part and extending downwardly therefrom below said shoulder adapted to engage the rim of the pail, a second flange part of relatively less diameter than the first flange part disposed beneath the shoulder and adapted to rest at one point against the inner surface of the pail, a supporting bar having an arcuate portion secured to and carried by the outer surface of the second flange part at points spaced from said spring catch, said supporting bar having projecting portions each provided with means to grip the rim of the pail at points spaced from said spring catch and adapted to co-operate therewith to hold the cup upon the pail.

18. A mop wringer cup adapted for connection with a pail, and a holder for a mop handle formed as a part thereof disposed so as to be co-operative with a part of the pail to hold a mop handle substantially upright therein when the cup is in position upon a pail.

14. A mop wringer cup adapted for connection with a pail and having a wall part thereof bent to form a depression therein constituting a holder for a mop handle disposed so as to hold a mop handle substantially upright when the cup is in position upon a pail.

15. In combination, a pail, a mop wringer cup mounted within the pail, said pail and cup being proportioned and arranged to provide a space between the cup and a Wall of the pail through which a mop of the type to be rung in said cup may be dipped into the pail outside of the cup. so that the handle of the mop will project upwardly through said space, and a holder for said mop handle arranged in said space, co-operative with the pail to hold the mop handle substantially up-right when the head of the mop is resting upon the bottom wall of the pail.

16. In combination, a pail, a mop wringer cup mounted within the pail, said pail and cup being proportioned and arranged to provide a space between the cup and a wall of the pail through which a mop of the type to be rung in said cup may be dipped into the pail outside of the cup so that the handle of the mop will project upwardly through said space, and a plurality of separate spaced mop handle holders provided upon said wringer cup so as to stand in said space.

17. In combination, a pail, a mop wringer cup, a supporting member serving to support said cup in position upon the pail, said pail and cup being proportioned and arranged to provide a space between the cup and a Wall of the pail through which a mop of the type to be rung in said cup may be dipped into the pail outside of the cup so that the handle of the mop will project upwardly through said space, and a holder for said mop handle positioned to stand in said space and being formed jointly by pressed-in parts of said cup and said supporting member.

18. A mop wringer comprising in combination,

a pail having an overhanging rim, a drain cup having a spring hook at one side to snap about relative under portions of said rim to support and hold said side of the cup connected with the rim, a supporting bar carried by the cup at the side opposite to said hook, said bar having opposite end portions extending to opposite sides of the pail and engaging the rim at points spaced from the hook to support the cup, and a separate locking member movably connected with the bar movable into and out of position engaging the rim to lock the bar against lifting from the rim.

19 A mop wringer comprising in combination, a pail having an overhanging rim, a drain cup having a holding means at one side thereof to engage the rim and hold said side of the cop connected With the rim, a supporting bar carried by the cup spaced from said holding means, said bar having opposite end portions extending to 0pposite sides of the pail and engaging the rim at points spaced from the holding means to support the cup, and a separate recessed locking member movably connected Wtih the bar movable into and out of position with its recess receiving the pail rim and with a Wall of the recess serving in locking the bar to the rim.

SOLOMON SCHULMAN. 

